Colleagues, Good news about California Monarchs!(
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From: The New York Times <nytdirect@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: December 3, 2021 at 6:30:00 AM PST
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Subject: California Today: Monarch butterflies make a comeback
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December 3, 2021
By Livia Albeck-Ripka
It’s Friday. California is enjoying a “close to miraculous” rebound in its
butterfly population. Plus, a new documentary goes inside a top-performing
San Francisco public school.
Leslee Russell of Livermore taking a picture of her husband, Dave Russell,
outside the Butterfly Grove Inn near the Monarch Grove Sanctuary in Pacific
Grove last month.Nic Coury/Associated Press
PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. — On a recent Sunday, I found myself among a crowd of
hushed humans in a eucalyptus grove near Monterey, our necks craned toward
the tree canopy.
Above us, thousands of Western monarch butterflies were clustered on
branches, camouflaged by wings that appear dull when closed. But every so
often, a group would rouse and burst into a dance of orange confetti.
One family mused on the inner lives of the butterflies. A couple watched in
awe, silent. Another man called a friend by video to share the magic. He told
him of how they just “flutter through.”
Monarch butterflies make among the most impressive migrations of any species,
flying hundreds of miles from various parts of the United States to Mexico
and coastal California, where the Western population overwinters. But in the
past several decades, their populations have plummeted because of global
warming, development and farming practices, leading scientists to fear that
the migratory population could ultimately become extinct.
“Monarchs are a harbinger of what’s going on with many species,” Karen
Oberhauser, a conservation biologist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison,
told me by phone. She has studied the monarchs for more than 35 years.
This year, however, the butterflies’ Western population has made a modest
recovery, surprising scientists. Across California’s coast, onlookers have
gathered at groves to witness the phenomena. Amid dire news about climate
change and after close to two years of pandemic life, the butterflies’
arrival has offered a reprieve.
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“It’s like an escape,” Chris Messer, 30, said as he gazed up at the insects.
“You get to see the brilliance of this orange dance in the sky.”
Clara Howley, who had traveled 170 miles from Santa Rosa to see the
butterflies with her sister, said she was spellbound. “We get so wrapped up
in our lives; it’s nice to see the monarchs still wrapped up in theirs,” she
said, adding, “I just can’t look away.”
Butterflies gather on a pine tree at Monarch Grove Sanctuary in Pacific Grove
last month.Nic Coury/Associated Press
It is a marvel: The Western monarchs, each one weighing less than a paper
clip, embark on their athletic feat from west of the Rocky Mountains. Much of
how they migrate is still a mystery, but scientists believe they most likely
rely on environmental cues, including sunlight and temperature. Several
generations of butterflies are born and die before the journey is complete.
But why are they rebounding? That, experts say, remains unclear.
It could simply be that the butterflies had an especially good breeding
season (insects can reproduce rapidly, and their populations do tend to
fluctuate), or that especially warm fall weather last year changed the
butterflies’ breeding and migration behavior, throwing off the count.
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The current numbers, however, are still a far cry from previous population
totals: In the 1980s, millions of monarchs flocked to California for the
winter. In 2017, an annual count found about 200,000 butterflies. Last year,
the same count found fewer than 2,000.
“I was really saddened,” Oberhauser told me, adding that she had worried “we
might be seeing the end of an incredible migratory phenomenon.”
But the rebound, she and others say, is cause for cautious optimism. This
year, volunteers have already counted more than 100,000 butterflies,
according to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
“It’s close to miraculous,” said Paul Meredith, 77, a volunteer with the
butterfly sanctuary, who that Sunday was seated — binoculars around his neck,
insect pin in his cap — among the trees.
But, he added, “there’s a lot of things we don’t understand.”
To see the magnificent butterflies, visit these groves:
Monarch Butterfly Grove in Pismo Beach (20,000 butterflies, estimated by the
Xerces Society)
Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove (14,000)
Camino Real Park in Ventura (3,000)
Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz (2,000)
Fiscalini Ranch Preserve in Cambria (1,700)
Livia Albeck-Ripka is a reporter for The New York Times, based in California.
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With mask mandates, lockdowns and vaccination requirements, San Francisco has
followed the rules to minimize the spread of Covid-19.Mike Kai Chen for The
New York Times
The latest on Omicron and the pandemic
San Francisco followed Covid rules. Will Omicron change the playbook?
An Omicron case has been detected in Los Angeles County, The Associated Press
reports.
Omicron is here. Should you cancel your trip?
Prior infection appears to be little defense against the variant.
The Marathon Los Angeles Refinery abuts the Wilmington neighborhood near the
Port of Los Angeles.Monica Almeida for The New York Times
The rest of the news
Hazardous chemicals: The ocean could soon flood more than 400 toxic sites in
California and expose residents to dangerous chemicals and polluted water,
The Los Angeles Times reports.
A post-Roe reality: How the politics of abortion are poised to intensify.
Uber settlement: The company will pay $9 million for failing to comply with
state regulators about sexual assault claims, The Los Angeles Times reports.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Ransomware attack: Planned Parenthood’s Los Angeles affiliate said a hacker
had compromised information for 400,000 patients.
Beverly Hills shooting: The police have arrested a suspect in the killing of
the philanthropist Jacqueline Avant, wife of the music producer Clarence
Avant.
In-person learning: A San Diego County school district will allow
unvaccinated students to learn in person, defying the state’s vaccination
mandate, The Washington Post reports.
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
Drug crisis in Fresno: Meth has taken control of a large swath of Fresno,
killing more people in 2020 than any other drug or suicides or homicides, CNN
reports.
Jail guard indicted: A correctional officer faces several counts of sexually
assaulting female inmates at the San Joaquin County Jail, months after
another officer at the same facility was convicted of similar crimes, The
Associated Press reports.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
PG&E penalty: Regulators fined the utility company $125 million for its role
in causing the deadly Kincade fire in 2019.
College admissions scandal: Two Palo Alto parents pleaded guilty to paying
$25,000 to cheat on their son’s college admissions test, The Associated Press
reports.
Linda Xiao for The New York Times
What we’re eating
Cheesy baked pumpkin pasta with kale.
George Welik/Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Where we’re traveling
Today’s travel tip comes from Brice Yocum, who recommends the Santa Barbara
Botanic Garden:
“The garden has many sections on 78 acres, including a redwood forest and
desert displays. In all, there are more than 1,000 native California plants,
and nearly every one has a sign or tag to let the visitor know what they’re
looking at. It’s a great place to spend the day, or just go for an
invigorating walk. The sights and smells are fantastic, and the staff and
gift shop are delightful.
Two pro tips: The gardens open to the public at 10 a.m., but if you become a
member, you can enter at 9 a.m. and beat the crowds. So worth the price, and
your donation makes this amazing place even more amazing. Second, cross the
road to the new Pritzlaff Conservation Center and you can get stunning views
of the islands off the Santa Barbara coast. Worth the price of admission!
Last note, if you go soon you can see a once-in-a-lifetime event: A Shaw’s
agave is blooming after about 30 years, after which the plant dies. See it
soon!”
Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your
suggestions to CAtoday@xxxxxxxxxxx. We’ll be sharing more in upcoming
editions of the newsletter.
What we’re recommending
This new documentary goes inside a top-performing San Francisco public school.
Tell us
Has your child been vaccinated against Covid-19?
Share stories of your children receiving their coronavirus shots and how it
has affected your holiday plans. Please include your child’s name, age and
city of residence — and even a photograph, if you’d like.
Email me at CAtoday@xxxxxxxxxxx and your submission may be included in a
future newsletter.
The four Asian small-clawed otter pups that were born at the Santa Barbara
Zoo on Nov. 12 have nearly doubled their size since birth.Santa Barbara Zoo
And before you go, some good news
The Santa Barbara Zoo is now home to four highly adorable baby otters.
Born last month, the pups are Asian small-clawed otters, the smallest of all
otter species and typically found in India and China.
The infants and their parents will be off exhibit for two months as the young
ones mature and learn to swim, The Santa Barbara Independent reports.
But the zoo is still sharing pictures of these tiny cuties. Check them out.
Thanks for reading. We’ll be back on Monday. Enjoy your weekend.
P.S. Here’s today’s Mini Crossword, and a clue: Phone ding or buzz, e.g. (5
letters).
Soumya Karlamangla, Steven Moity and Mariel Wamsley contributed to California
Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@xxxxxxxxxxx.
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